Chicken Enchilada Casserole

A Cooking Light recipe that packs a lot more flavor than the 320 calories per serving would make it seem...

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup beer

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 (28-ounce can) whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/2 cut thinly sliced green onions, divided

1 (2 1/4-ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained

2 (4.5 ounce) cans chopped green childes, drained

5 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

2 cups low-fat milk

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut in half

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1/2 cup bottled salsa

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Coat large nonstick skillet w/ cooking spray; place over medium heat. Add chicken, cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cool. Shred chicken.
3. Place chopped onion and garlic in same pan over medium heat. Saute 5 minutes or until tender.
4. Add shredded chicken, beer, red pepper and tomatoes. Cook 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.
5. Reserve 1 tbsp green onions and 1 tbsp olives for garnish. Stir remaining green onions and olives and green chilies into chicken mixture.
6. Combine flour, salt, cumin and coriander in medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, whisking until blended. Place over medium heat, cook 7 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly.
7. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg whites, stirring constantly with a whisk.
8. Spread 1/2 cup of white sauce in bottom of 2 1/2 quart round casserole or souffle dish coated w/ cooking spray. Arrange 4 tortilla halves over sauce; top with layers of chicken mixture, white sauce and mixed shredded cheeses. Repeat layers twice, ending with sauce.
9. Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture and reserved green onions and olive on top, bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand before serving.
10. Top each serving with 1 tbsp sour cream and 1 tbsp salsa.

What I did different...
I cheated and used pre-cooked rotisseries chicken from the grocery deli. Very moist. I omitted olive because I don't like them. I completely forgot the beer (though you could substitute chicken broth) and I used only cheddar cheese because I didn't have monteray jack. I also took a pass on the sour cream as a topper. I halved the recipe and it was plenty for our family. Served with a side of tortilla chips.

Results...
Loved it. Lots of flavor! The chicken mixture is fabulous, the green chilies and corn tortillas make the dish.

Banana muffins

This isn't a dinner recipe, but a really simple, tasty muffin recipe I came across today. Very approachable for kid chefs...

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, melted butter and vanilla (optional) in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. The key is to hand-mix in the flour mixture just until moiste.
3. Scoop into muffin pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Fettuccine w/ Pulled Rotissiere Chicken, Pesto & Roasted Peppers

This was a winner! Completely easy, very tasty and a wonderful weeknight pick. I promise to move away from the pasta comfort zone soon...


Fresh Fettuccine w/ Pulled Rotissiere Chicken, Pesto & Roasted Peppers

2/3 cup basil pesto 9-ounce package fresh fettuccine 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups pulled cooked chicken meat
2 cups sliced roasted red bell peppers
1/2 cup pitted olives, halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for the table

1. Put the pesto in a large bowl.
2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Whisk the pasta water into the pesto.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until soft and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken, peppers, and olives and cook, stirring until hot, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the pasta and cheese to the pesto and toss to combine. Add the chicken mixture and combine. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and serve immediately. Pass Parmesan at the table.

What I did differently... the only thing was that I omitted the olives, simply because we aren't olive lovers.

The results... we loved it. Even Tyler ate it up (minus the "red parts"). It was remarkably easy because all of the ingredients are essentially dump-mix-heat-and-serve. The fresh fettuccine is a definite must, or at least the texture was impressive. And it's easy because you buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store ($7), use half and save the other half for something else. I also purchased premade pesto sauce from the refrigerated section at the grocery store, which makes it all the more simple. Though I hear you can make pesto pretty easy and freeze it, so that would be simple, and likely cheaper as well. A winner.

One last note, as prepared, this makes enough for four adults. I could have halved it and had plenty.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

I am very excited to be a part of Sara's 2009 Recipe Challenge. I made myself a goal last summer to make one new recipe every week and was sorely lacking in my efforts. In my defense, I was pregnant and hot! I am now back to work and have an almost 5-month old so am very exhausted. My recipes may not come every week but I'll try my best.

I'm all about the good but easy dinners. Many come from a magazine called Simple and Delicious. My first effort is a casserole that makes 2 - one to eat and the other to freeze, which I think is a brilliant way to plan for a future meal. Sadly, I only had enough chicken to make one so I had to 1/2 the rest of it. Next time I'll plan better.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

Ingredients
2 pkg. (6 oz. each) reduced-sodium stuffing mix
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
8 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/2 t. pepper
3/4 lb. sliced deli ham, cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soup and milk and set aside.

2. Divide chicken between two greased 13X9 in. baking dishes. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer with ham, Swiss cheese, 1 cup cheedar cheese, soup mixture and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

3. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 mintues before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted.

2 Casseroles - 6 servings each

The results...

Very good! I made this when Winston's brother, Tony, was visiting and they inhaled it pretty quickly. It's nothing fancy but makes for a great, easy weeknight dinner and was mighty tasty. It was also good the next day if you are a "leftovers" person (not everyone is!).

What I changed...

When I halved the recipe, I put in more than 1/2 cup of milk. It didn't seem like quite enough and I was worried about it being too dry. I was glad I did so I'm sure I'll add more than 1 cup when I make it for 2 next time. I also didn't measure out the ham, I just sprinkled on until it covered the chicken and looked good.

Spaghetti carbonara

So my first effort out of the gate on Thursday was marginal - at best. Onto attempt number two today, spaghetti carbonara. A pasta dish without one ingredient that could be deemed as questionable, so the outlook was pretty good...

Spaghetti Carbonara

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 pound spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent.
3. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add wine if desired; cook one more minute.
4. Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. Quickly add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty).
5. Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, and extra Parmesan cheese at table.

What I did differently...
This recipe makes enough for eight, clearly more than we need, so I essentially halved it, though with an extra slice of bacon. I also sauteed a diced chicken breast after the bacon, to add some bulk and protein to the dish (how official does that sound?). Lastly, I omitted the white wine and used chicken broth instead. Still to figure out what they really mean when they say "dry white wine." Oh, I probably used a little more garlic than it called for too, but then Emerile would be proud.

The results:
A winner! We really enjoyed it. The flavors were great, it was hearty, new and still well within our comfort zone. Very easy to prepare, probably a half hour. And better yet, I typically have all of the ingredients in the cupboard. Plus, my kids didn't freak when they arrived at the table. Now that's a bonus.

Pork Chops w/ Bleu Cheese Gravy

For our first night out, I decided to go full steam ahead (may as well while I'm still excited about this endeavor). The menu included a meat I didn't much care for growing up (in fact I may have hidden the raw version a few times if my mom left it out to thaw on the counter) and a vegetable, I must confess, I've pushed around many a plate, but doubt I've taken a bit of in 17+ years. On the menu...

Pork chops with bleu cheese gravy
Steamed broccoli
Orzo

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 tablespoons butter
4 thick cut pork chops
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
1 cup whipping cream
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS
Melt butter in a large skillet, over medium heat. Season pork chops with black pepper and garlic powder. Fry the chops in butter until no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 20 to 25 minutes. Turn occasionally to brown evenly.

Remove chops to a plate and keep warm. Stir the whipping cream into the skillet, loosening any bits of meat stuck to the bottom. Stir in blue cheese. Cook, stirring constantly until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over warm pork chops.

THE RESULTS
The gravy was the clear winner. Not too shocking since the primary ingredients were bleu cheese, butter and milk. I can imagine it on chicken with pasta. But then that would be right back in the comfort zone wouldn't it? A few areas where I strayed from the recipe (who do I think I am, Martha Stewart?)... I used whole milk instead of whipping cream and thickened the gravy with flour. This part of the meal was 100% splendid. I also pan-seared the pork on both sides and then put it in a covered dish in the over at 350 to finish it. In retrospect, I'm pretty sure that was a mistake. The flavor was good, but the texture was challenging to say the least. I always remember pork being tough though, so out of the gate, I'm not falling madly in love with the other white meat. Bygones. With 51 weeks to go, I'm probably going to have to make pork chops at least 11 different ways.

The broccoli, much to my surprise, was a success. Steamed it and added salt and butter. Todd declared that he loves broccoli and even ate Tyler's (who limited himself to a few bites of each item, but good enough for now. No need to go into how much Anna ate, little. The orzo I cooked in chicken broth instead of water and added sauteed onions and garlic for flavor.

What I learned...
Maybe don't mess around so much with the directions...